Sky are dropping Sky Sports

Sky Sports has announced plans to ditch its numbered channels and offer a cheaper viewing package.

In a major shake-up, the satellite broadcaster will replace its numbers with themes based on specific sports, led by football, golf and cricket. Sky Sports 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 will cease to exist.

A new, cheaper package will also be introduced in a bid to combat falling viewer numbers, reports the Guardian, with the price of Sky Sports’ budget offering more than halving from £49.50 to £18 – although more comprehensive bundles will not be so affordable. Early season ratings for live Premier League matches on Sky Sports last year were down by a fifth.

The new channel formats will resemble Sky’s existing Formula One channel. Football will have two dedicated channels, while golf and cricket will each get their own home. A new channel, Sky Sports Arena, will host a range of other content including rugby and tennis.